Supplemental Dental Insurance questions.

Acanthus

Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
19,915
2
76
ostif.org
Hi guys, im about to drop a very pretty penny on some serious dental work, and i was wondering about getting supplemental dental insurance to help offset some of the enormous costs.

I basically need the full top and bottom rows replaced short of a few molars (teeth ruined by braces as a teenager). The dentist is a friend of the family, owns his own practice, and is not on most insurance provider "lists" (you know the discount dentists that get business by being referred by insurance companies). The cost is around $14,790. (This includes multiple implants, bridges, tons of crowns, 6 or 7 root canals, the list goes on...)

I was wondering what a good insurance company to look into would be, how long the "activation period" would be after i started paying before i could use it for this, and if i can get an insurnace company that doesnt require their dentists. (what is this a freaking HMO?)
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Unfortunately, discount plans are all list-based, as you've seen.

Here in WA the individual dental insurance is also based on specific dental clinics.

Better insurance through employers has a long waiting period (6 - 18 months) before full coverage, and then has a year maximum that is low ($1,000 - 2,000) for the work you need.

A couple of things I can think of:

Medical savings account - this at least gets you a tax write off, but I'm sure exactly how these accounts work.

Arranging a payment plan with the dentist.

Insurance companies are in it to make money, so odds of you coming out ahead buying it now are low.
 

Acanthus

Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
19,915
2
76
ostif.org
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Unfortunately, discount plans are all list-based, as you've seen.

Here in WA the individual dental insurance is also based on specific dental clinics.

Better insurance through employers has a long waiting period (6 - 18 months) before full coverage, and then has a year maximum that is low ($1,000 - 2,000) for the work you need.

A couple of things I can think of:

Medical savings account - this at least gets you a tax write off, but I'm sure exactly how these accounts work.

Arranging a payment plan with the dentist.

Insurance companies are in it to make money, so odds of you coming out ahead buying it now are low.

Yeah my current dental is about to kick in with a $1000/year limit. Thats gonna do me lots of good (/sarcasm).